Cleaner for water-tube boilers



vu. s|4,sa|. Patented Nov. 29, |898. s. B. MunnucK. CLEANER FOR WATER TUBE BUILEBS.

(Application ledxuly 3, 1897..)

:Ei-@Egli i pfff (No Model.)

NITED STATES "PATENT Ormea.

SAMUEL B. MURDOCK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CLEANER FOR WATER-TUBE BOILERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N o. 614,881, dated November 29, 1898.

Application filed July 3,1897. Serial No. 643,446. (No. model.)

T0 all whom t may con/067%:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL B. MURDOCK, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cleaners for Water- Tube Boilers; and I d'o hereby declare that the following` is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to improvements in water-tube cleaners for use in removing adherent scale from the inner surface of the tubes of water-tube boilers.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth and more particularlypointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings illustrating one form of my invention, Figure l is a side elevation of a device embodying my invention, showing the c utting-tools engaged with a boiler-tube. Fig.

2 is a plan View of the outer or driving end of said device.y Fig. 3 is a cross-section on line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4: is a detail section on line 6 6 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is asectional detail of the cutting-head. Fig. 6 shows a modification of Fig. 5.

In said drawings, A designates one of the tubes of a water-tube boiler, and A the end wall of the boiler, to which the tubes are attached in a familiar manner. In the type of boiler herein illustrated a second wall A2 is provided adjacent to and at some distance outside of the end wall A', and said end wall A is provided with hand-holes a, located in alinement with the tubes A and which afford access to the interior of the tubes.

B designates the cleaning device as a whole, the same consisting in its principal features of a rotative shaft B','provided on one end thereof with a detachable head B2, carrying rotating cutting-tools C, which act on the inner surface of the tubes to cut the deposited scale therefrom. Said shaft is provided on its opposite end with suitable actuating devices, by means of which the shaft may be turned and at the same time advanced toward the boiler, so that the cutting-tools C will be carried forward between the accumulated scale and the inner surface of the tube to sever said scale therefrom. Any convenient means at its upper end to any convenient superstructure and is attached at its lower end to a supporting plate or web D, which is provided with an aperture through which the outer end of the shaft B passes. A bearing is formed for said outer end of the shaft by means of a short sleeve B4, which its upon the outer end of the rod and which engages the aperture in the supporting-plate D. The inner end of said sleeve abuts against an outwardly-facing shoulder h on the shaft Aand is enlarged to form an outwardly-facing shoulder b2, which engages the inner face of said supporting-plate. Said sleeve is provided adjacent to said supporting plate with a screw-threaded portion which is engaged by a clamping-nut B5 and between which and the outwardly-facing shoulder b2 the supportingplate D is clamped, said clamping means serving to secure the bearing-sleeve rigidly to the supporting-plate D'.

The means herein shown for feeding the cleaning device forward with `the shaft comprises a worm-gear. As herein shown, the shaft is provided adjacent to the bearing described with a screw-threaded portion or worm B6, which is adapted to engage a toothed or worm wheel E, mounted subjacent thereto. Said worm-wheelE is in this instance mounted upon a transversely-arranged shaft E', which is rotatively mounted in a vsuitable bearing formed by short bearing-sleeves E2, located at opposite sides of the gear-wheel. Said bearing-sleeves are provided in their parts adjacent to the supporting-plate with integral laterally-extending lugs or bolts E3,

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the shaft. The connection between said main shaft B and worm -wheel shaft E is such that -when the shaft B is rotated the said shaft E will be caused to rotate in a direction to carry the upper parts of the sprocket-wheels toward the outer end of said shaft. Said sprocket-wheels F, on each side of the shaft, are adapted to engage sprocket chains or belts F', which are attached to the boiler-wall A2 in any convenient manner and pass over said pulleys and will be provided at their outer or free ends with suitable weights, (not shown,) by means of which they are maintained in position upon their respective pulleys. As herein shown, the inner ends of said chains are attached to the wall A2 by means of hooks f', inserted through the hand-holes at which the cleaner is located. \Vith this construction it will be seen that when the shaft B is rotated by the crank B3 the worm-gear will act to rotate the sprocket-wheels F outwardly, and the connection of said wheels with the chain belt F is such that the belt will act to draw the shaft and connected parts inwardly or toward the end wall A2 of the boiler, the rate of forward travel of said shaft depending upon the pitch of the threads of said screw-threaded portion or worm B When it is desired to Withdraw the cleaning device, it will only be necessary to disengage the chain belts F from the sprocket-wheels F by raising said belts away from the said wheels. The outer end of said shaft, which is immediately connected with the parts described, is preferably made separate from the main body of the shaft and secured thereto by a suitable joint or detachable connection b3. Said shaft I3' will also desirably be madeof tubular construction.

The cutting-head G and tools C, mounted thereon, are made as follows: The said head is made separate from and detachably connected with the shaft B' and is of a tubular construction and provided between its ends with an enlarged portion G. Said enlarged portion of the head is provided with a plurality of bearing-apertures, herein shown as two in number and oppositely arranged. Said apertures are arranged in radial planes and obliquely to the axis of the head and are inclined toward the inner end thereof. Said `cutting-tools as herein shown consist of cylindric shank portions C', which engage the bearing-aperturesin the head G, and enlarged head portions C2, provided with annular cutting edges, formed by beveling the heads inside and outside of said cutting edge, said cutting edge being adapted to have contact with said inner wall of the tube. The planes of said cutting edges of the tool C are arranged at such an angle to the inner wall of the tube as to readily enter between the same and the accumulatedscale, the rotation of the head causing a cutting action as distinguished from a scraping action of the cutting edges as the tools are advanced. Said tools are adjustahly mounted in the head G and in such manner that they may be accurately adj usted to theirwork. As herein shown, the inner ends of the shank portions of said tools engage the conical inner end of a bolt G2, which has screw-threaded engagement with the eX- treme inner end of the head G. By turning said bolt inwardly upon the head the cuttingtools C will be caused to move outwardly, so as to be accommodated to large-sized tubes, while by turning the bolt outwardly the cutting-tools will be permitted to move endwise inwardly to permit the same to be used with a smaller-sized tube. The tool-Shanks are herein shown as mounted loosely within the obliquely-directed bearing-apertures of the tool-head. In order to prevent the tools from dropping out of their `seats when the device has been removed from the boiler-tube, the head is provided in rear of said tools and adjacent thereto with lugs H, secured thereto in any convenient manner (as by screws) and extending outwardly in position to engage the outer ends of the cutting-tools, so as to limit the outward movement of said tools. When it is desired to remove the tools, the lugs will be detached from the head and the tools allowed to drop out of their seats.

In Fig. 5 is shown a modification of the cnt ting-head. In said figure the head consists of a solid extension I of the shaft B2, provided upon the forward end thereof with a short sleeve I. Said head is provided on the rear end thereof with a screw-threaded portion I2, by means of which it may be detachably secured to the shaft B2. The sleeve I is loosely mounted upon the head between shoulders z' fi', herein shown as formed by nuts having screw-threaded engagement with the head. The inner end of the head is provided with obliquely-arranged bearingaper tures, within which rest the cutting-tools J, similar in form to the tools C of the previously described construction. The inner portion of the head I, against which the shank portions of the tools are adapted to rest, is of tapering or conical form. Said parts are so arranged that when the head is pushed forward in the sleeve the tapered surface thereof will cause the cutting-tools .I to move outwardly. When force is applied to the shaft, therefore, through the worm mechanism described, it will act to keep the tools .I in constant engagement with the inner surface of the tube to be cleaned. Said construction is therefore selfadjusting, and when the device is withdrawn the tools will move inwardly to allow the same to be freely withdrawn from the tube. Said sleeve portion is provided with lugs K, which prevent the tools from becoming detached from the head, as in the previously-described construction, said lugs being detachably secured to the sleeve by screws 7a.

I have shown two cutters only in the accompanying drawings; but the device may be provided with three, four, or more of such cutters. I prefer a construction in which ICO IIO

three cutters are employed, for the reason that with this number of cutters the cleaner is more effective in operation than with aless number, while three cutters are more easily adj usted to act uniformly than where a greater :number is employed.

In the use of the form of feed device illustrated it is obvious that the rate of feed may be varied by changing the sizes of the sprocket-wheels, the substitution of larger wheels giving a more rapid feed and smaller wheels giving a slower feed.

Obviously the rotating tools, while being called cutting-tools, do not in operating actually cut or sever anything, but their action is more in the nature of a separation of the scale from the surface of the tubes by the entrance of their advance edges between the surface of the tube and the scale.

The arrangement of the cutting-tool in a radial plane with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shaft and at an inclination thereto is of great importance in the operation of the device, as such arrangement brings the working edge of the tool in contact with the inner surface of the tube at the greatest radial distance from the shaft, so that said tool will come in contact with the tube at one point only and the advance edge thereof will readily enter between the inner surface of the tube and scale. If the tool be arranged too nearly at a right angle to the shaft, the working edge will make contact at two lateral points against the inner surface of the tube and its advance edge willnot come in contact with the tube at all, while if placed at too great an inclination the working edge will not enter between the tube and the scale. Obviously the tool should lbe placed at such an angle that the advance or forward edge only will be in contact with the tube.

I claim as my inventionl. A device for cleaning boiler-tubes comprising a rotative shaft provided With a cut- .ter having a circular cutting edge, said cutter being mounted to rotate on an axis arranged in a radial plane and at an inclination with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shaft and with its single point of contact with the tube at the greatest radial distance from the shaft.

2. A device for cleaning boiler-tubes comprising a rotative shaft provided with a cutter having a circular cutting edge, said cutter being mounted to rotate upon an axis arranged in a radial plane and at an inclination with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shaft and with its single point of contact at the greatest radial distance from the shaft, and being adjustable radially.

3. A device for cleaning boiler-tubes comprising a rotative shaft, a rotary cutting-tool mounted thereon with its axis of rotation arranged in a radial plane and at an inclination with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shaft and with its single point of contact with the tube at the greatest radial distance from single point of contact at the greatest radial distance from the shaft.

5. A device for cleaning boiler-tubes comprising a rotative shaft provided with a bearing-aperture, the central axis of which is arranged in a radial plane and at an inclination with respect to the longitudinal axis of -the shaft,and a cutting-tool provided with ashank which is loosely mounted in said aperture and with a circular cutting edge having its single point of contact at the greatest radial distance from the shaft, and means engaging the inner end of said shank for moving .the tool outwardly.

6. A device for cleaning boiler-tubes comprising a rotative shaft provided with a bearing-aperture, the central axis of which is arranged in a radial plane and at an inclination with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shaft, a cutting-tool, the shank of which is loosely mounted in said aperture, and provided with a circular cutting edge having its single point of contact at the greatest radial distance from the shaft, means engaging the inner end of said shank for moving the tool outwardly, and a stop to prevent the disengagement of the shank from the bearing-aperture.

7. A device for cleaning boiler-tubes comprising a rotative shaft provided with a bearing-aperture, the central axis of which is arranged in a radial plane and at an inclination with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shaft, and a rotative cutting-tool, said tool consisting of ahead provided with a circular cutting edge having its single point of contact with the tube at the greatest radial distance from the shaft, and a shank Whichis adapted to engage said bearing-aperture, and an adjustable part engaging the inner end of the shank to move the tool outwardly.

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8. A device for cleaning boiler-tubes comprising a rotative shaft provided with a bearlcutting edge having its single point of contact with the tube at the greatest radial distance from the shaft, and a longitudinallyadjustable cone engaging the inner end of said shank.

9. A device for cleaning boiler-tubes, comprising a rotative shaft provided with a bearing-aperture, the central axis of which is arranged in a radial plane and at an inclination to the longitudinal axis of the shaft, a cutting-tool consisting of a head provided with a circular cutting edge having its single point of contact With the tube at the greatest radial distance from the shaft, and a shank adapted to engage said bearing-aperture, and a bolt having screwthreaded engagement with the head and provided with a conical point which is adapted to engage the inner end of the shank of said cutting-tool.

l0. A device for cleaning boiler-tubes comprising a rotative shaft, provided With an obliquely-arranged bearing-aperture, a cuttingtool provided with a shank which is loosely mounted in said bearing-aperture, means engaging one end of said tool for moving the same outwardly and a lug on said head forming a stop for holding the shank in its bearing-aperture- 1l. A device for cleaning boiler-tubes comprising a rotative shaft provided with a plurality of bearing-apertures, the central axes of which are arranged in radial planes and at inclinations with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shaft, cutting-tools provided with circular cutting edges having their single points of contact with the tube at the greatest radial distances from the shaft, and with shanks which engage said bearing-apertures, and an ad.)l ustingbolt provided with a conical end adapted to engage the inner ends of said tool-Shanks.

l2. A device for cleaning boiler-tubes comprising a rotative shaft provided with an obliquely-arranged bearing-aperture, and a cutter comprising a shank and a circular cutting edge having its single point of contact with the tube at the greatest radial distance from the shank, said shank fitting and turning Within said aperture, and being inclined rearwardly with respect to the direction of movement of the shaft in the operation of the device.

13. A device for cleaning boiler-tubes comprisin g a rotative shaft, a cutting-tool mounted on said shaft, means for rotating said shaft, means for supporting the outer end thereof comprising an apertured supporting plate through which said outer end of the shaft passes, and a bearing for said shaft comprising a sleeve engaging at one end a shoulder on the shaft, and provided between its ends with a shoulder adapted to engage said supporting-plate, and a nut having screw-threaded engagement with said sleeve and adapted to engage the side of the plate opposite said shoulder of the sleeve.

14. A device for cleaning boiler-tubes comprising a rotative shaft provided with a cutter having a circular cutting edge, said cutter being mounted to `rotate on an axis arranged at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shaft and with its advance edge in contact with a tube at a single point only, said advance edge of the cutter being adapted to enter between the tube and the incrustation thereon.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I ailiX my signature, in presence of two Witnesses, this 30th day7 of June, A. D. 1897.

SAMUEL I3. MURDOCK.

Vlitnesses:

C. CLARENCE PooLn, R. CUTHBERT VIvIAN. 

